When a Church Pursues Holiness | Matthew 18:15-20
Throughout our study of Ephesians we have noticed that the church has been saved out of the world and therefore must be fundamentally different to the world so that it can make a difference in the world. The more the church is like the world the more it loses its witness. However, the more the church is like Christ in all holiness and righteousness the more effective the church will be in the world. This places a crucial obligation upon the church to train its people in righteousness while keeping the church accountable to the same through the grace of church discipline. In this study we learn that in order for the church to make a difference in the world it must pursue holiness through church discipline.
- When a church pursues holiness it must carry out church discipline
- When a church pursues holiness through discipline it should be done biblically (v.15-17)
- When a church pursues holiness through discipline it is affirmed by heaven (v18-20)